Apparatus for taking soundings



July 4, 1939. F. wALLER y APPARATUS Fon TAKING .soUNDINGs Filed lay 29, 1937 2 Sheetls-Sheet 1 7 2 l W 5 f T w q Q u hmwwwwmwwwmw, mmmwm@ l v 4 V 4 l 6 3 a 9 n.. 8 :Za/N 9 7 7. 2 AI. .e d. T3 aw 5 o y a 2 7 .Il fz f y. 2 o Agg@ u l/l .1 4. 5 m wv T W Jr M H F|L.. ....M.. +\|\|.I. F T J A 9 M f M... 618 my. .l ,WL 0 o m v W 2J FJ 0 INVENroR. l im BY f July 4, 1939. I F, WALLER 2,164,791

APPARATUS FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS Filed May 29, 1937 2 sheets-Shel.: 2

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F E E T /6 30 i f #T M- s 24 s vif z2 29 W 3032 IN VEN TOR. 77 @Y 4% 7%7/m# Patented July 4, 1939 Y 2,164,791

UNITED STATES rA'rENToFFicE 2,164,791 APPARATUS FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS Fred Waller, Huntington, N. Y. Application May 29, 1937, Serial No. 145,453 4 Claims. (Cl. 7S-300) This invention relates to apparatus for taking as to cause the pointer to be frictionally held in soundings. the position to which it is moved by the bellows. lt is an object of the invention to provide a The edge of the arm I5 which engages the cross device which is responsive to hydrostatic presrod 9 is so designed that when the pointer I4- 5 sure, and which when lowered into the water in reaches the right hand end of the scale I6, the 5 the usual manner of taking soundings, will regcross rod rides over the corner Il, and further ister the depth thereof. collapse of the bellows has no effect on the point- Other objects and advantages of the invention er I4. However, a second bell crank 29 is pivotalwill appear hereinafter. ly mounted on pin ZI between the plates 5 and 6,

10 A preferred embodiment of the invention sehaving an arm 22 serving as an indicator arm 10 lected for purposes of lllustration is shown in the or pointer, and an arm 23 the upper edge of which accompanying drawings, in which, is engaged by the cross rod 9 at the point in its Figure 1 is a front elevation with the cover travel where it rides over the corner I1. Further plate removed. collapse of the bellows 1, therefore causes the bell 1.5 Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 crank 20 to move in counterclockwise direction, 15 of Figure 1. causing the pointer 22 to move along the scale 24. Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 'Ihus if the depth of the water is such as to 3-3 of Figure 1. cause the bellows 1 to collapse beyond the point Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the belwhere the pointer I4 is affected thereby, further lows collapsed as when under pressure, and motion is transmitted to the pointer 22 and the 20 Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 depth may be read directly from the calibrated of Figure 4. scale 24.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus com- Preferably the lever arm 23 is somewhat shortprises a shell I formed to provide a cylindrical er than the lever arm I5 in order that relatively recess 2 therein. Extending upwardly from shell short increments of travel of the bellows 'I may 25 I is a plate 5 having a iiange 4 projecting forbe multiplied to cause relatively long correspondwardly therefrom. ing movements of the pointer 22.

Seated against the iiange and secured thereto The use of two pointers operating successively is a plate 6 extending parallel to the plate 5 but in opposite directions from a single bellows perspaced therefrom to provide room for the parts mits the use of relatively long scales, with con- 30 hereinafter described. sequent increase in accuracy of readings, without Mounted in the recess 2 is a collapsible metal the use of an excessively large, and hence cumbellows 1, the lower end of which is fixed to the bersome scale plate.

plug 3 which closes the recess 2. The upper end The sounding range or capacity of the appaof the bellows is movable. Co-nnected to the movratus within the limit of scales of reasonable able end is a rod 8 having a cross rod 9 which length may be increased by the provision of extends through and is guided by slot II formed means to reduce the volumetric capacity of the in the plate 6. bellows without reducing its capacity for linear Pivotally mounted between the plates 5 and 6 movement. Thus, in the interior of the bellows for oscillation about pin I2 is a bell crank I3 1 there may be mounted a non-compressible 40 having an arm I4 serving as an indicator arm member such as the metal cylinder 25 which or pointer, and an arm I5, the upper edge of may be formed integrally with the plug 3, and which is engaged by the under face of the cross which occupies a substantial portion of the inrod 9 whenever the bellows is collapsed. Thus terior volume of the bellows. This member, howit will be observed that when the metal bellows 'I ever, is of insufiicient height to interfere with 45 is collapsed, as when hydrostatic pressure is the complete collapse of the bellows. It will be applied, the bell crank I3 is moved in clockwise observed that with such a member in the beldirection, causing the pointer I4 .to move along lows, any given change in the hydrostatic presthe scale I6 on the plate 5. When` the apparatus sure will cause less movement of the bellows than is immersed in water, of course, the hydrostatic in the absence of such member, and consequently 50 pressure collapses the bellows 1 more or less degreater depths may be indicated on scales of pending on the depth, and if the scale I5 is propgiven length. erly calibrated, the depth may be read directly In order to prevent errors due to inertia of the therefrom. The pivotal connection of the bell metal bellows and connected parts in cases where crank on the plates 5 and 6 is preferably such the apparatus may be lowered rapidly through 55 the water and thus be jolted severely on striking bottom, counterweights 21 and 28 may be provided, mounted on levers 29 and 30, pivoted at 3| and 32 respectively. The ends of the levers 29 and 30 are slotted for engagement with the cross rod 33 on rod 8.

It is also desirable to counterbalance the bell cranks I3 and 20 in order to prevent inaccuracies. This may be done by Weighting the arms I5 and 23 as shown at 34 and 35 respectively to cause said bell cranks to balance on their pivots.

If desired, a recess 36 may be formed in the bottom of the casing I to permit arming with grease to obtain samples of the bottom.

It will b'e understood that the invention may be variously modied and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for taking soundings comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of pointers pivoted thereon, a collapsible metal bellows mounted thereon, and. means connected to the free end of said bellows to engage and move said pointers successively as said bellows is collapsing.

2. Apparatus for taking soundings, comprising, in combination, a frame, a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted thereon, each of said bell cranks comprising a pointer arm and an actuating lever arm, a collapsible metal bellows mounted on said frame, and means connected to the free end of said bellows to engage and move said actuating lever arms successively as said bellows is collapsing to thereby move said pointers successively.

3. Apparatus for taking soundings, comprising, in combination, a frame, a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted thereon, each of said bell cranks comprising a pointer arm and an actuating lever arm, one of said lever arms being shorter than the other, a collapsible metal bellows mounted o-n said frame, and means connected to the free end of said bellows to engage and move said actuating lever arms successively as said bellows is collapsing to thereby move said pointers successively.

ll. Apparatus for taking soundings, comprising, in combination, a frame, a pointer pivoted thereon, a collapsible metal bellows mounted thereon, means connected to the free end of said bellows to engage and move said pointer when said bellows is collapsing, but to disengage said pointer when said bellows is expanding, and means to counterbalance said collapsible metal bellows and said connected means to prevent overthrow due to inertia.

FRED WALLER. 

